Page 21 of At Last

Two and a half hours after we left Thornbriar, I take the exit ramp from the interstate, taking us to a smaller two-lane highway. Right off the smaller highway, I turn to park in front of a dilapidated white chapel. And when I say dilapidated, I mean a beam in the roof needs to be propped and pieces of siding have been ripped off from age and weather. But we’re here for the big plumes of gray smoke rising from behind the chapel. Not because the place is on fire, because of the best damn barbeque in the state of Tennessee.

My mouth waters from the fucking fantastic aroma of smoked pork wafting through the vents of the truck. A glance over to Doc, I watch her eyes glaze over and a smile spread across her face. Then I run my thumb along her chin. “Got a little drool there,” I tease.

Before she comes to her senses, I switch off the engine and have the backdoor open, unbuckling Jade from her booster. “Hey Peaches, you hungry?” I ask softly.

“Badass biker Duke Ellis cooed at my daughter,” Caitlin mumbles under her breath. God damn, it turns me on when I stump her.

That’s when Jade snuggles down to answer. “Yeah,” she says. Though she says it through a yawn.

“Good sweetheart, you like mac and cheese?”

She nods against my cut.

“Because they make the best mac and cheese here.” I shut the door and beep the locks, joining Doc, my hand to the space between her shoulder blades, I glide it down to rest against the small of her back. Then give a little push to get her moving. I only remove my hand to open the door for my girls to pass through then drop it back into my claiming spot to steer us over to the counter where today’s menu is written on a whiteboard in green marker.

Every dish comes à la carte.

“I’ll have the pulled pork. Mac and cheese. The greens, and the sweet potato-marshmallow casserole. Then we’ll both have the lemonade to drink.” Caitlin gives her order. Then she winces. “That’s not too much, is it? I don’t want to overstep.”

Her words, whispered like a secret not meant for anyone else’s ears, pisses me right the hell off.

“Overstep?” I grumble. What’s with her throwing that shit my way? Make me look cheap. “You want twice as much, you order. Don’t ever ask that again.”

“Sorry,” she says to me, then turns to look at the teenage girl behind the counter. “It appears I’ve pissed him off. He’s not cheap. I don’t even know why I asked that.” Her thoughts spill from her mouth in a rambled flow, and it’ cute enough for me to feel the anger begin to ease up.

“Except for—” She uses her eyes to point to Jade, laying her fingertips rest on the counter, and leans her body way in for the counter girl to hear when she drops her voice. The poor counter girl looks confused but keeps her mouth shut. Which I wish Doc would do. But no. She goes on. “Her… um…father.” She mouths ‘father’, no sound. “He was the last man I was with and he always told me I overstepped, that I took advantage of his generosity.”

You’ve got to be fucking shitting me?Cute be damned. An unexpected rage burns through the cute, reigniting the anger and amping it. I grab hold of her arm, trying best I can to control my barely controlled temper. My ears fill with it thumping against my eardrums. My eyes, blinded by it.

She looks scared. Last thing I need is for her to be scared of me, so I turn her into me. “Honey.” I grit through my teeth, then gentle as possible, kiss her to show my anger’s on her behalf, and to hold my tongue because I still got Peaches in my arms.

I suck in a long breath to calm myself, hold it, and then slowly breathe it out. Some head-shrink taught me that technique years ago to deal with my anger from Dawna’s illness. Apparently, it works for listening to a woman I’m coming to care about relate a shit situation with an asshole ex, too. Good to know.

After we pull apart and I place my order, I hand Peaches over to her. “Get us a table.” I direct her with a push over to the seating area.

“Overbearing man,” she mumbles. “You could at least say please.” And there she is. My sassy Doc back, not scared. And not moving. Instead she looks me dead in the eyes and repeats the word, “Please.”

Fuck if I don’t have to turn my head away, dropping my chin to break off eye contact, in an attempt, albeit a failed attempt, to keep from laughing. “Please?”

“Yes, you forgot to say it. As in, ‘get us a table, please.’”

“Manews awe impowtent, Duke.” Jade corrects me, and damn if it ain’t just as cute as her mama.

I stop trying to contain my laughter, since with these two, I know now it ain’t ever gonna work. “Please take Peaches to get a table.” This gets me a cheek kiss from both my girls at the same time. Each taking a cheek.

Cute.

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